Theft through card skimming is on the rise in South Africa and it is your responsibility to prevent it. This is a message from Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgodi, spokesperson for the Priority Crime Investigation Department (also known as the Hawks).
Card skimming theft in South Africa is back in the spotlight this week following reports of the arrest of a 32-year-old petrol pump worker in Mpumalanga province. He was scheduled to appear in the Middleburg Special Commercial Crimes Court, but was taken into custody at the Ultra City N4 filling station in Middleburg on Monday (March 4, 2024).
Card skimming theft in South Africa
IOL said the bank became suspicious that a card skimming device was being used at the gas station. Once the potential losses are estimated, R400,000the matter was escalated to the Hawks, who conducted a search and seizure operation and arrested a suspect who was in possession of a card-skimming device.
How to prevent card skimming
Card skimmers steal personal information through tokenization within debit/credit cards. So this only happens when the card is inserted into the machine. First, try using tap-to-pay or cardless payments via your smartphone or e-wallet. Such features provide the best security against card skimming in South Africa.
If you need to insert a card, be wary of strange-looking or tampered card machines. Inspects card devices to detect when something has been placed on the card device without authorization. Similarly, be aware of distractions the moment you insert your card machine. Additionally, you can increase your protection against bank fraud and receive immediate alerts of fraudulent purchases.
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